Ashley Young grabbed a late equaliser for Manchester United in a dramatic game against Basle at Old Trafford.
Having got the selection nod, Danny Welbeck replayed his manager Sir Alex Ferguson with a quick-fire first-half double.
But the Swiss side produced an admirable response, Fabian Frei pulling a goal back before and Alexander Frei's brace - the second one from the spot - rocked United.
However, Young headed home with just seconds remaining to earn United a point.
Basle remain on top of Group C in the Champions League and this performance will provide Ferguson with some head-scratching, with question marks particularly against Phil Jones and Rio Ferdinand's compatibility in central defence.
The first half was all about Welbeck, however - having been a loan striker last season, the 20-year-old was a lone one against Basle with Ferguson surprising everyone, and not least Berbatov, with his formation.
Ryan Giggs played a key supporting role to Welbeck and was devastatingly influential with the vital touches to allow the young striker to finish.
The first came from a well-worked move. Jones brought the ball forward, Antonia Valencia took over and picked out Fabio's run into the box. A simple ball across the box was cushioned by Giggs into Welbeck's path and although he scuffed his shot slightly it still found the corner.
Just over a minute later and Giggs played a masterful ball that Welbeck struck home with a powerful low shot to make it 2-0.
Basle must have been cursing themselves with both Freis and Marco Streller all having missed the target from decent positions.
Change
Basle coach Thorsten Fink must have been tearing his luscious blond air out, but the second half was a different story.
David de Gea had saved with his foot from Streller before Fabian Frei put the visitors back in the game. Streller headed on a corner and when the ball reached Frei 12 yards out he cracked in a blissful volley off the upright.
Fabian Frei then turned provider, crossing for Alex Frei to leave de Gea grasping thin air as the header soared into the net to equalise.
Ferguson had to go for it and he threw on Nani for Fabio with Valencia dropping to right-back.
Nani's first contribution was a negative one, however, as he gave the ball away and Basle surged forward. United's failure to clear their lines cost them dear as Streller burst into the box and Valencia brought him down.
Alex Frei made no mistake from the spot, blasting it high past De Gea and Old Trafford was stunned into silence.
Ferguson sent on Berbatov with nine minutes left and the Bulgarian had one chance with a header but Yann Sommer made a comfortable save.
The expected siege of Basle's goal arrived as time ticked away and finally Nani's cross found Young at the far-post and he headed it powerfully past Sommer.
Welbeck could have made himself the hero of the night in injury time but glanced his header just wide - and a winner for United would have been barely deserved.
What is your verdict on the action? Have your say.
Manchester United 3 Basle 3
September 27, 2011
Comments
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Oh dear! Nice to have that game behind us. Our back end looked more like a backside.
The officials were a bit sloppy but not as sloppy as United and I suppose SAF will have a few choice words to say. I knew it wouldn’t be too rosy even at 2-0 we were giving them far too many attempts on goal. On the bright side Welbeck put a lot of energy into his game and it was nice to see him get his goals.
Absolutely ridiculous performance by manchester united.. Ferdinand in defence ?
Ryan Giggs showed he is still a great power.
Good show by Wellbeck and Young.
Ryan Giggs showed he is still a great power.
Good show by Wellbeck and Young.
Disgusting, not impressed at all.
And it's 'Basel'.
And it's 'Basel'.
I have seen us play badly before but I have never seen a United team defend so badly. Never. Phil Jones may be a breath of fresh air going forward but defensively he has a lot to learn just horrible defending on his part. Add to that Evra and Fabio trotting back just a horrible night of defending. By all rights we should have lost that game. I still cannot believe Basal pick us apart like that. Rio 6 Jones 4 Fabio 4 and Evra 5. Just horrible defending.
Wow, I rushed home from work to see the 2nd half. I have NEVER witnessed so many passes to the wrong color shirt in my life. The thing that concerns me most, though, is United played to not lose, instead of to win, for the 2nd game in a row. That is not going to make it and that is NOT Manchester United football. If DaGea hadn't been sharp (as he was at Stoke) we'd have lost by three.
Embarrassing - this has been coming for a few weeks, despite some swashbuckling attacking play.
Even woeful Arsenal could have scored more against us.
Carrick, Park, Valencia, Ferdinand, Evra & Young (bar the goal) were absolutely woeful. Particularly Michelle, he deserves a good collective kick up the hole off every United fan to inject some urgency into him.
Nani came on late to put his stamp on the game.
Valencia worked hard and I don't really blame him for that penalty.
De Gea is still supreme, what would we have done without him?
Even Carrick had a decent game.
Our defence is in tatters without Vida.
Berba sent it into the side netting when Nani was free and waiting.......
Anderson (or tubs as his mates call him) was terrible.
Credit to Basle they attacked well and played without fear.
Worst defensive performance you will see at Old Trafford all season, it really is about time we got some defensive minded fullbacks, i love the overlapping runs from Evra and Fabio but it leaves us so open at the back.
We played some good attacking football and had a lot of chances but still we should of had this game dead and buried at 2 nil up.
An awful result.
Terrible , we had no defence and we played poorly
Yet we come away with a lucky point !
Onwards and upwards now for the weekend
PLEASE improve guys , come on .
SAF needs to be firm and to change something thats for sure
They were terrible
UNITED til i die
OH DEAR! Someone told me that all the chopping and changing wouldn't matter in the big games, must have been a small game then. Roll on tinkerman!
Yet again Fergie underestimated the other team Rio is terrible as is Carrick De Gea never comes for cross balls just stands on his line.
Owen and Welbeck should have started a bloody shambles.
This was a real dog's dinner. What a sloppy mess. The midfield were hopeless. Carrick was back to his usual apathetic self. Someone should get hold of Anderson and tell him that we play in red shirts and pass to them instead of the opposition. What was worse though was the defence. It was the worst game I've seen Evra play. Same with Rio. They just weren't focused at all. Fabio willl never get to the standard we need. His positional play is awful. Fortunately Jones was back there to stop it being an even bigger embarrasement. It just shows how much we miss Rooney when he's not in the team. By the way Evra shouldn't be captain. Giggsy should have had the arm band.
Hopefully this was a one off performance.
Once again found out in the Champions league. Like against Benfica much too open at the back. When we come up against the better teams we will struggle playing like this. Think Fergie will regret not strengthening central midfield now. Looks like Berba is in his final days with us.
We've been riding our luck in defence for the last 3 games. This could be the early wake-up call we need to make sure we don't get too complacent in games to come.
Nothing wrong with a wake-up call after too much hype.
Some players not fit enough to star the shirt tonight,Anderson was awful as he was against stoke how anyone can say he's a utd player is beyond me
Utd defending awful,Anderson awful....again
Defending awful,Anderson awful...again,get rid
Our defence was woeful today. Just awful. Defensively, the only player who didn't make a mistake was Carrick. Fabio and Jones were constantly out of position, Evra is still not up to his standard and Ferdinand didn't do too badly. Can't fault De Gea for the goals too much and he did do a couple of god saves. Our attack was very good in the first half but poor in the second. Need to do better. MOM for me was Carrick with Welbeck a close second. Carrick haters, start your inane comments now....